interview : Sex Gang Children

Andi Sex Gang, lead singer of the influential 80s Batcave era postpunk gothic rock band Sex Gang Children, and a solo artist in his own right, discusses the new SGC album Viva Vigilante! and many memorable moments in time.

interview by : Dylan Madeley

Sex Gang Children emerged in the punk era and saw big years on the UK indie charts between 1982-1985, with eight singles and five albums hitting the top thirty, and Song and Legend hitting number one. They are legends of the alternative who never quite got the mainstream recognition that they deserve, nor would they go for that if it meant compromising their art. Andi Sex Gang, lead vocalist and lyricist of Sex Gang Children, answered Auxiliary’s questions about the new SGC album Viva Vigilante!, some retrospection on memorable times both solo and accompanied, the art of performance, and lyrics presented to him in a dream.

Let’s start with the lyrics on this new album, which are highly political as expected. Rather than cover the entire album, which could be a whole interview in itself, I thought it would be best to focus on the first three songs to give an impression of the album. Starting with the opening track, “Hollywood Slim”, it seemed tough for me to decipher at first listen; I thought I caught a literary reference to John Brunner’s Stand On Zanzibar or I could be hilariously off with that. What’s the message of this song?
Andi Sex Gang : No message as such in a preacher sense. One should treat the lyrics in this piece as a “case scenario” with a usual twist of surreal imagery. John Brunner? I looked him up; I do not know of him or that novel, but it sounds like one I would love to read absolutely, and a definitely valid book indeed. And yes, it certainly touches on similar feels with what interests me as a lyricist. It’s on my list now.